Talk show host Wendy Williams opens her show with blunt discussion on substance abuse
You already know her for “Hot Topics”, but now popular talk show host Wendy Williams is discussing a new topic that is close to her and her family. Last Monday, the host revealed to her studio audience that her young 14-year-old son, Kevin Hunter Jr., has struggled with addiction to synthetic marijuana.
Williams has never strayed from discussing her own battles with drug addiction, including the chaos and damage that it led to in her personal life. But talking about her son brings the discussion to a new stage: discussing how addiction can affect our children and the hurt that it can cause as a parent.
When discussing it with the audience, Williams shares that it was through an e-cigarette that Kevin began to experiment with the drug. “It was one of those pens where you don’t see the smoke, and you don’t smell anything,” Williams said. “I’m trying to make funny on the tour, but in actuality my heart is breaking, and my kid could have been dead.”
Marijuana has been at the stage of controversy for parents for years for its popularity among young people. Even though some people argue that marijuana itself isn’t as dangerous as other drugs, synthetic marijuana has serious side effects, making it much more dangerous to young people. The side effects of synthetic marijuana include seizures, hallucinations, and in some cases, even brain damage.
Being a parent means being involved
Unfortunately, Williams tells her audience that her son was exposed to the drug by “a loved one who he looked up to.” She describes herself as a hands-on parent, saying that she and her husband discovered the teen’s habit by going through his room. “I’m a mom; I’m flipping rugs, I’m going through Nike boxes in his room,” she tells the audience.
“Well, I was duped. Our kid had been smoking this mess. He got turned out… to the point where he went off the rails for a moment,” she continues.
Williams then concluded the conversation with her audience by encouraging parents, there in the studio and at home, to have a hands-on approach with their children and substance abuse. Her son was able to kick the habit after some “holistic” rehabilitation from out of the country, but a lot of teens need support from their family to be able to move past substance abuse.
“To the parents and guardians who are watching right now, just talk to your kids. Fortunately, Kevin has two parents who took harness of the thing. We took him out of the country for holistic treatment. We didn’t want to pump him with psychiatric drugs,” Williams says,” I’m glad to say our boy is on the good side of good now.”
Not only does the discussion remind parents how crucial it is to be aware of their children’s activities and acquaintances, it also proves how parents can be blindsided by those they trust. Synthetic marijuana is growing in teen popularity, and the convenience of e-cigarettes is only making the problem worse. It is now easier than ever for teens to not just get their hands on the drug, but to conceal its use from their parents.
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Content for this article was provided in part by Madame Noire at: http://goo.gl/TLD4QA
